I'm not sure I read it right, but do boy-kiss-boy get another rating than boy-kiss-girl? Not fair! Where I live we don't even have a rating for movies/comics where they show naked breasts (or male parts), only when there's some porn or extreme violence involved.
Is this just the law of the land you live in or does this apply for the whole internet (I'm new to the net, also)?
Either way, it's not good for the comic because your creativity is restraint by it.
It's just silly. And I wanna see more kissing-stuff...*is dreaming away*

I don't remember the exact rating system, but I don't think homosexuality factors into it... it might, which would be stupid, but I'm not sure.

<a href="http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Makeup/4303/ratingwrong.html">American movie rating system</a>. Not sure if the Canadian one is any different or what... Seems like Arcana would rate a PG-13.

Technically I could make this comic any rating I wanted, but I like it where it is. n.n

<i>"If you make ships in a bottle, I bet the thing that really makes your heart sink<br>is when you look in, and there at the wheel is Captain Termite."</i>

In Canada there are extra ratings between PG-13 and R like AA, 14A, 18A, and so on. Regardless, I think Arcana is something like PG-13 or AA, and we love it for what it is - how can there be ratings on the internet anyway, it's so easy to access most high-rated stuff.

*leans back in a fluffy bathrobe with milk and cookies in front of a fireplace*

1.) Officially, no, homosexuality does not factor into ratings. However, most of the time the panels that rate movies will have a couple fairly conservative people on them, and thus it will be unintentionally factored in. But there are no rating panels online, so you can give the comic whatever rating you think is appropriate.

2.) The U.S. gun control laws depend on location. Up here in Alaska, everybody has a gun and it's rare that anyone has a problem with it. In, say, L.A. or N.Y.C., however, the distribution of firearms tends to be a bit more...restricted.

3.) This is my first post here. Hi, or whatever. Oh, and the art is wonderful, makes me wish I had gone out and gotten painter classic instead of the Generator Gawl perfect collection. >_>

Thanks for the explanations, I've learned something new here.
Happy to know I was wrong about the gay-rating-stuff, mayby the world is going forward after all. I hope.
I've also learned that most of you are Canadian, hadn't figured that out yet. I like that (I also live in a bilingual land: Dutch/French).
*runs off to work*

Thanks for the explanations, I've learned something new here.
Happy to know I was wrong about the gay-rating-stuff, mayby the world is going forward after all. I hope.
I've also learned that most of you are Canadian, hadn't figured that out yet. I like that (I also live in a bilingual land: Dutch/French).
Oh! Look at the time! I've to go now, bye.
*runs off to work*

chibi tsuki chan wrote:I find it a bit silly sometimes that websites warn for shounen ai, because n one ever seems to warn for boy/girl kissing.

Well, I seccond that. And that's actualy why I thought it was obligated to give a rating when boy-boy (or girl-girl) is involved. It's just something I'm not used to.
But hey, it's just like that, so I won't keep nagging about it. I am waaaaay to lazy.
Nice to meet you tsuki chan! I counted 3 Dutchies here so far. Any boys here to, or am I one of the very few? *looking around in fear*
Well, have to get back to work now *runs off again*

And, yes, I also find it silly that people warn for shounen-ai. I understand warning if it has graphic sexual content, but that's true for anything with graphic sexual stuff. I know I sure as hell don't warn for shounen-ai.

I put warnings up for shounen-ai content, but that's just because you can never underestimate the human capacity for stupidity. It's like those hilarious disclaimers on appliances and what-not these days: "Cape does not actually enable the wearer to fly." It's just to cover your ass. That way when some imbecile comes along - and inevitably, they will - and tries to bite your head off you can just throw it back in their face and say they had due warning.

But in a perfect world, anyone should be able to love/make out with whoever they so desire regardless of gender or color or height or nationality or social standing, etc. etc. It should be a non-issue. It makes you wonder, if we weren't raised from birth to believe that male/female relationships are the only normal combination... if there would be more variety? I don't just mean people with homosexual inclinations no longer fearing to indulge them. But I wonder if straight people hadn't been raised that way, if they might have spent as much time checking out the same gender as the opposite. Like maybe being straight is just something that's become subconsciously ingrained. Heh.

Also, sexuality in general should be viewed in a more natural, positive light to begin with. I have a good quote on that topic:

"The best way to keep a population docile and easy to manipulate is to prohibit masturbation, insist on marriage and monogamy, withhold sex information and birth control, criminalize abortion and prostitution, condemn homosexuality, censor sexually explicit entertainment, and deny the existence of sexual diversity. With a list like that, we're all sexual sinners."

I lost the author, tho'. It was from an essay on a great site that teaches kids about sex so that they'll be informed about what their bodies are driving them to do. ^^

So anyway, our society still has a ways to go. But it does appear to be improving, even if at a snail's pace.

Yes, I am a Class-A rambler. I'm the quiet type in social settings so, you know. Gotta get it out somewhere.

Oh yeah - dracoboy (cool name, btw) you'd better not skip out on us if no other boys happen to make themselves known. There's no reason to be uncomfortable.

...I've already mentioned that dracoboy isn't the only guy on this board. >_>

Also, I was about to say that I was going to hunt down and viciously beat whoever it was that put that sound in their post, but it seems to be the banner ad. This of course means that the "Verisign" staff shall suffer. And stuff.

me myself, i like porn and sex as much as the next person.... butt some times im just not in the mood for any of that stuff, and i just avoid it. that is why i like warnings n stuff.

butt as far as upping rating on material based on b/b g/g action is kind of narrow minded in my opinion. i really do like too see affection or any kind of love being displayed in life/movies/comics/books. i expetially like when its a very powerful love that cant be described any way or form. i also enjoy the fact that the us is moving forward about the homophobia issue, i have been seeing more b/b,g/g stuff in the entertainment industry that isnt being persecuted as much. also, people i know arent getting as freaked out by that kind of stuff any more which makes it easier to be your self around them.

FlamingDeth wrote:Also, I was about to say that I was going to hunt down and viciously beat whoever it was that put that sound in their post, but it seems to be the banner ad. This of course means that the "Verisign" staff shall suffer. And stuff.

You mean the car sound? It annoys me, especially when I *try* to listen to some music *kicks 'verisign's' ass*

Anyway...I know, most people warn for shounen ai on their website...and I know *why* they do it, but I don't agree with it. If people don't like shounen ai, then they should leave the site. I am not too fond of het, but nobody warns me when there is boy/girl stuff on a site.

I am pleased to see that slowly, homosexuality is becoming more acceptable [atleast in the Western culture, in countries like Zimbabwe homosexuality is punished by the death penalty :/]. People aren't as disgusted as they used to be. Even some of my friends that are Christian seem to care less about it [I'm not saying all Christians are against homosexuality]. I have a guy-friend that didn't find homosexuality all that, but after he'd seen Gravitation, I think he didn't care as much as before. Plus I think my drooling over sexy bishounen kissing seemed to help a bit

Jibaku Shoujo wrote:Oh yeah - dracoboy (cool name, btw) you'd better not skip out on us if no other boys happen to make themselves known. There's no reason to be uncomfortable. I've often been the only girl in an all-boy environment. It shouldn't matter. We're glad you're here. ^_^

I live in a all female environment (3 sisters, a mother and no father) so that is not a problem to me, I was just wondering if there were any other guys who read/like Arcana and stuff.
So, I won't skip out on you, but in time you all might wish I did *evil laughter*

Happy to hear that FlamingDeth, I just knew I couldn't be the only one.
Can I help you making the Verisign staff suffer? I need an interesting hobby, besides insulting the customers in the store I work in. *pleaaase?*

Oh, and I totaly agree with notyetknown; warnings for porn, that's ok.

Jibaku Shoujo wrote:Oh yeah - dracoboy (cool name, btw) you'd better not skip out on us if no other boys happen to make themselves known. There's no reason to be uncomfortable. I've often been the only girl in an all-boy environment. It shouldn't matter. We're glad you're here. ^_^

I live in a all female environment (3 sisters, a mother and no father) so that is not a problem to me, I was just wondering if there were any other guys who read/like Arcana and stuff.So, I won't skip out on you, but in time you all might wish I did *evil laughter*

Happy to hear that FlamingDeth, I just knew I couldn't be the only one.Can I help you making the Verisign staff suffer? I need an interesting hobby, besides insulting the customers in the store I work in. *pleaaase?*

Oh, and I totaly agree with notyetknown; warnings for porn, that's ok.

Im a guy... and I like to read Arcana. Yeah... But this is actually my second post here. Also nice avatar dracoboy(Hes a cross between hot and cute), where is the character from?

I take it there's some sort of ad with sound? Arg. Those are the worst kind. I lost sound abilities after the reformatting, so... >_o

Anyway. Yes. Our societies aren't going to move forward in any way on the homosexuality issue as long as there are all these messages warning and implying it's wrong or possibly offensive, even on shounen-ai sites and such. ^_^;

It makes you wonder, if we weren't raised from birth to believe that male/female relationships are the only normal combination... if there would be more variety? I don't just mean people with homosexual inclinations no longer fearing to indulge them. I mean, sometimes I wonder if I hadn't been raised that way, if I might have spent as much time checking out the girls as the guys. Like maybe being straight is just something that's become subconsciously ingrained. Heh.

Bingo! This made me hapy because it's the stance we take in my Anthro/Soc class. ^_^ We were discussing a certain society (in New Guinea, I think) that is actually heterophobic, and homosexuality is encouraged, and it's all embedded in their culture to think that way. (Of course, they also treat women like shit, but that's not what I'm talking about here n.n; ) I know there's an argument that it's wrong to descriminate against homosexuals because they just biologically turned out that way, and I don't mean to belittle that because it's a good defense, but I think the degree of acceptance in the environment has more of an impact than people give it credit for.

In case you can't tell, I like that class a lot. ~_^

<i>"If you make ships in a bottle, I bet the thing that really makes your heart sink<br>is when you look in, and there at the wheel is Captain Termite."</i>